Meyer Lemon Loaf Cake
Last month, you may remember that I took a fun little field trip out to the DeLallo Test Kitchens. Jessica and I played around in the kitchen and whipped up some fun dishes, and once we were done, I went back to the store to load up on tons of goodies. Things like fresh-baked rustic bread, prosciutto, provolone, fresh Italian sausage, olives and figs found their way into my cart. The produce section there is to-die-for; it’s unbelievable the variety and quality that they carry for a small grocery. I was elated to find bags of Meyer lemons near the entrance; it’s virtually impossible to locate Meyer lemons at my everyday grocery store, so I snatched them up immediately. I then proceeded to take an embarrassingly long amount of time to decide what I wanted to make with them. Finally, I realized that I was severely lacking a recipe box staple – a lemon loaf cake. This was the perfect recipe for those Meyer lemons!
I couldn’t believe how wonderfully light and moist this cake turned out. Even before brushing it with the glaze, the top and sides of the cake were quite soft and almost sponge-like. The cake has a buttery crumb and shows off the flavor of the Meyer lemons perfectly. This cake is perfect on its own with a cup of coffee, or topped with some fresh whipped cream and fresh fruit. It’s a fabulous base for dessert experiments!
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If you’re in the Pittsburgh area, you owe it to yourself to check out the DeLallo store in Jeannette; so much good food, you won’t know what to do with yourself! If you’re not in Pittsburgh, you can order DeLallo products right from their website and have them delivered straight to your door. Happy shopping!
One year ago: Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
Two years ago: Malted Vanilla Milkshake
Four years ago: Triple Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Meyer Lemon Loaf Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1½ cups (187.5 g) cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons Meyer lemon zest
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons Meyer lemon juice
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) vanilla extract
For the Glaze:
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (61 ml) Meyer lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- Add the sugar and lemon zest to the bowl of a food processor; process until combined, about five 1-second pulses. Add the eggs, lemon juice and vanilla; process until combined, about 5 seconds. With the machine running, add the melted butter through feed tube in a steady stream. Transfer the mixture to large bowl. Sift the flour mixture over eggs in three additions, whisking gently after each addition until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and continue to bake until deep golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking time. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring the sugar and lemon juice for the glaze to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the pan and place on a wire cooling rack. Using a toothpick, poke holes all over the top and sides of the cake. Brush the lemon glaze all over the top and sides of the cake. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature, at least 1 hour. The cake can be stored at room temperature, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 5 days.
Notes
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I got a Meyer lemon tree for Christmas. I hope I get some lemons next winter! I will definitely add this lemon loaf to the list of recipes I want to try when they start ripening. :)
This looks like the perfect lemon loaf. I am craving some now!
This looks wonderful! It looks so light and refreshing! Pound cake is always nice – the lemon is just a wonderful bonus!
This pound cake looks d-lish but I don’t like lemon cake, how can I make it without the lemons. Thank you!
Hi Susan, You could replace the Meyer lemons with any other type of citrus fruit that you like.
I always go crazy for lemons! I buy WAY WAY too many! This looks like the perfect recipe for the lemon juice I have in my freezer! And I too would be interested in that key lime loaf!
Gosh I love citrus!
I just scored some Meyer lemons this week! I can’t wait to see how they are. I’ve seen so many people rave about them…
Love meyer lemon!! It screams summer and I can’t wait for this cold-front to dissappear. Like, right about now :D
thank you for the super kind words Michelle! We had a blast that day… let’s all get together soon to cook, I recommend we schedule it closer to happy hour so we can throw back some vino afterward.
Aw, you’re welcome! It was a lot of fun and, yes, we should definitely get together again!
What is the difference between Meyer lemons and others?
Hi Kallie, Meyer lemons are sort of a hybrid between a lemon and a citrus like mandarins or oranges – they’re a little sweeter than regular lemons.
I have so many Meyer Lemons on my tree! Perfect timing for this post.
I hear so much about meyer lemons and how good they are….I have yet to see them at my local grocery store, though. I’ll be on the lookout so I can try this loaf cake!
Do you think I could double the recipe and make it in a bundt pan?
Hi MaryEllen, I think you could. Enjoy!
This looks like absolute perfection. I love a good lemon loaf!
This lemon loaf looks perfect! I need to go buy more meyer lemons!
What a fun field trip! Your lemon cake looks divine. I am such a sucker for lemon and this would be perfect for a morning or afternoon treat!
I am so glad to see more citrus fruit recipes! Love citrus season! This cake sounds perfect for those lazy afternoons. And paired with a mug of lemon tea. Pinning!
Yum! I wonder how this recipe would taste if you used a different type of citrus, like orange? An orange pound cake sounds so delicious! I don’t think my local grocery store that I frequent has Meyer lemons, but I will definitely check at Whole Foods and Sprouts to see if I can find some. One of our Starbucks coffees says it goes well w/lemon cake, so I guess it’s time to find out! :-)
Hi Jenn, I think you could definitely substitute other citrus for the Meyer lemons in this recipe. An orange loaf sounds delicious!
Since I’m snowed in today in Kansas City, I just spent an hour browsing the Delallo website – I could eat my weight in their cheese! I want to visit their store & emailed my friend in Bedford, PA, recommending she go there & tell me all about it. If I have enough lemons, I’m going to try the Lemon Cake today. Thanks!
I thought I had gotten over my Meyer lemon streak, but now I must go buy more!
Yum! Your cake looks amazing!!! I love lemon cake, it’s so fresh and oh so good! Yours looks gorgeous!
would this work with regular lemons too?
Yes, definitely!
I love lemon cake. My go to lemon cake for carry in’s of all sorts is the KAF lemon bliss bundt cake. Everyone loves it. I like to mix it up and bring it, because there is usually plenty overly sweet things at those sort of functions. Also, it is delicious. If you liked this cake, you may want to give that one a try sometime :)
Mmmm. lemon loafs are my fav.
I can NOT for the life of me find Meyer Lemons. Sooooo annoying.
I found Meyer Lemons while shopping the other day and, like you, they are usually nowhere to be found in my local grocery store. So I bought waaaay too many and hadn’t decided what to do with them yet. Your Lemon Loaf cake is at the top of my list! Thanks!!!
How ironic that you have posted this recipe. Last week I was looking for the perfect Meyer Lemon loaf cake because I happen to have a bag of them in my fridge about to go bad! Unfortunately, I had to throw them last night. I’m so looking forward to trying this recipe. It looks delicious!
We used to live less than 10 minutes from DeLallo’s, so I know exactly what you are talking about. Alas, we no longer live in Westmoreland County, but we still manage to make a number of trips to their store whenever we are able to. Your recipe for Meyer’s Lemon Loaf Cake looks terrific, and I will definitely have to try it out. I love anything that is in the citrus family, whether it be lemon, lime, or orange flavored, so I am quite sure that I will love your recipe. By the way, I have a great recipe for Key Lime Bread that I have been making for a number of years, so if you are interested in it, I would love to pass it along to you. It also has a delicious glaze that tops the bread.
Hi Valerie, By all means, send it along!
Hi Michelle, Here is that recipe that for Key Lime Bread that I have been baking for the past couple of years:
KEY LIME BREAD
Ingredients:
2/3 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tablespoons grated lime peel
2 tablespoons key lime juice***
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 cup chopped walnuts
Glaze
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons key lime juice
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, mix well. Add lime peel, juice and vanilla, mix until combined. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Fold in walnuts.
Transfer to (2) greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over warm bread. (Note: As a personal preference, I often double the ingredients for the glaze.) Cool completely.
Makes 2 loaves.
***Nellie & Joe’s Famous Key West Lime Juice (16 oz. plastic yellow bottle) can be found at the grocery store in the aisle where the baking products are located.
TIP FROM VALERIE: Depending upon your oven and the type of baking pans that you use, I have found that this bread will bake faster than the directed time, so please watch carefully so that the bread does not over-bake and start checking for the doneness of the bread as early as 35-40 minutes after you have put it into the oven.
Thank you, Valerie! Can’t wait to try this!
If you enjoy the taste of lime, I really think that you will enjoy this. Everyone that I have ever made this for always asks me for the recipe. However, I must confess that this is not an original recipe — I got it from one of my Taste of Home magazines.
Valerie, thanks so much for sharing. My husband loves Key Lime and as I was making Micheles Lemon Loaf last night, I thought… hmmm Key Lime?! I thank you and my hubby thanks you!
Meyer lemon desserts are always the best! Your loaf is so darn gorgeous!
Looks delicious, hope that I can try it.
Looks delicious and so light and summery. Love the sticky looking top
Mmmmm lemon cake. I’m normally a big chocolate fan but lemon cake is one of the few desserts that can pull me away from it.